The Washington critic., 1887-12-17
THE VISITORS GUIDE.
Objects of Interest In and About the
National Capital.
THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
Parks. Squares, Statues, Gardens and
Other Points OF ATTRACTION.


most attractive city of the country. AS
the Capital of the Nation 1t presents
more objects of interest to the visitor
than any other on the continent, and a
brief directory Of Its prominent points
will be Of service to the vast number Of
persons who annually resort to the po.
iitical metropolis. For II Is estimated
that over three hundred thousand
strangers pay visit every year to this
city to behold the varied objects of In.
tcrcst which 20 thickly stud the his.
toric Ten Miles Square"
The System or Numbering Houses.
Numbers are displayed over the entrances to
all houses. and the decimal system. as
adopted In Philadelphia, In used-One hun
dred numbers being allotted to each square
or block Recommending at First street west,
running west, First street east, running
street south, running south, The odd mum
bors arc always on the rghthand side 20
ing from tho Capitol, and tho oven numbers
on tho iefthaud slde. The city Is divided
Into four quarters or sections northeast and
northwest, southeast and southwest. tho
running north and south numerically, and
those running. cast and west by tho letters
Of the alphabet, the dividing lines being
on limo due north and south from the Cap
itol and East Capitol street, and oontinua.
tion on the same west OF the Capitol run
ming due east and west.
The Capitol.
This great building Is the central point OF the
original District, md Is the largest edihce
in the country Us centre marks the Mo
Immediately under the. dome is the part
first built y was partially DESTROYED by the
British in 1871, but was .somple,ely restored
remains Of Washington were intended 10 bo
place !, tho Library OF Congress, for which
handsome new edfce is being built Just east
tunda the old Representatives Hall. now the
Gallery OF statuary, aud tho old Senate Cham
be Der now ne snpre%e, 10 rl, Theo sG
cupied BY the Law Branch of the Library
The corner stone Of the Capitol extension
1851, Daniel Webster delivering the oraiion
81 the occasion IRON tho balcony of the
Library. Tho south wing contains the
House OF Representative, and the north
wing the Senate Chamber. The rotunda Is dis
tinguished for Its historic paintings. for the
famous bronze doors. with their bas
relefs. and for Brumldl's trcscoings. In tho
Hall OF Statuary are the natural pictures Of
Potomac marble, representing faces of GER
tain tain A AmSr;an ssatesmsSn-a at ,S picturesque
Immediately north of the great rotunda, the
staircase TO the top OF the dome begins It's
winding way. From the top OF the dome, or
as far as the visitor can ascend, the view
Of the snrroun ling country Is rnapnihoent.
The Capitol grounds. which formerly were
homey and formal in appearances, have
been transformed into beautiful park and are
now most exquisitely beautiful. The east base
Of the Capitol Is s9l feet above ordinary low
base to the ton Of The temple covering the dome
s,s ieet; tue statue OF the Goddess Of Liberty:
1914 feet, making the total heieht to the crest Of
higher than the west gate q the grounds. aud
y97 feet above low tide In the Potomac, or aaS
feet lower than the apex Of the Washington
Monument, which Is immediately west. The
building Is 75i feet long by 824 wide, and covers
IN acres. It's the finest and largest public
building in the world and In many respects the
growth Of less than a century-a fact which
adds tc its beauty and Interest. The original
Capitol or centre building Is MIn IN imitation,
at Nismes. The view from the west portico at
night, when the lamps are lit in the public
grounds and the lights Of the city illuminate
the darkness Is one Of the most beautiful and
picturesque In the world and Is well worth
: Journey OF u thousand miles to SEQ Ths new
western facade and grand stair case COM
mencea this year has added greatly to the ap-
pearance Of that front of the Capitol, and Is
one Of the finest If not the finest work of the
= KIND IN this country The cars ana herdnGs @ run,
OF the Belt" system, and the F'street cars all
pass the Capitol.
The White House.
From the ives. balcony OF the Capitol. looking
down Pennsylvania avenue, the White House
Is seen rearing Its snowy .hued walls above the
dense mass OF foliage that embowers 1t, like
sans sas lily Y a% II. ITS sn0
t@sryening @ Treasury building ths yiew Of IN, thS
snd complete; The s White House I; i the , center
"Down town" It is beautifully located, tho
View from thu. south windows covering the
from the north up sixteenth street west ex-
hibts the best part OF the Northwest section
to the gaze. The White House is copy. Of
the palace Of the Duke of Leinster at Dublin.
with the addition Of large porch on tho north
front, which was added during Andrew jack
sons administration. The reservation In which
entrance is on the north. reached by the Penn.
syivanla avenue cars. 1t is two stories high
on the north, is built Of white free.stone, 10
floor the famous Green, Red, Blue and East
rooms. the State Dining Room and the great
dents official reception room and the drawing
room OF the ladies Of his family. Tho East Room,
originally designed for banquet hall and so
used as late as s and IN the latter Part Of
most noted room In the building, It Is q
feet high st long nd 70 wds i .
Upstairs are tho Cabinet room. the private
Offices, the Presidents office, tho library and
except Tie latter are open to Visitors, BY special
permission, at suitable hours.
The washington Monument.
Immediately south Of the white House stands
the Washington Monument the lottiest strnc.
obellsi ever ever CONSTRUCTED, Il is built 'Sn Of mar
BILE, esS feet high above It's base, which is 4s
feet above tiae;water. Its cornerstone was
the apex, was placed in position December D.
1884. In It are isi blocks of Inserted stones or
copper, gifts from various countries and so
1t Is situated In what will ultimately be- a
beautiful park Inside the Monument Is a large
hydraulic elevator, used TO raise the blocks of
tana nriu 70 hap m aRpr, ,nria.
ton is made, which will probably be done by
the Fiitieth Congress, this elevator will he
fitted Tor passenger use, and the interior Of the
Monument lighted by electricity and opened 10
the public. In the apex OF the Monument are
eight windows, closed by marble shutters, af-
fording an unsurpassed view OF the city and
Surrounding country. AT present no one Is ad- |
mitted to the Monument.
Lafayette Square.
Immediately north OF the white House is Lafay-
ette square, the first public reservation In
Washington that was improved. 10 contains
the equestrian statue OF Andrew jackson, by
Clark Mills. Many OF Its trees are old forest
ponarchs, hundreds OF years old. II is In part
a specimen of the old formal Landscape. garden,
years ago, a style that was Imported info this
country Lafayette Square was. one hundred
years ago, part II graveyard that inclosed
the square north, on which ST. Johns Church
Is built ana the square east, on which are sit.
uated the Attorney Generals ofiee uormery
the Freed mans Bank, The surgeon Generals
formerly used rs the United States Bank,
Commodore Decatur's house, corner Fifteenth
aud a'hsli and Il streets, ana the old Club
killed by Daniel II, sickles, Member OF Con-
gress from New York. The last bodies from
this graveyard were not removed until 1919,
1T. Johns T.. r.. Church.
st. Johns r, +, Church., which has been often
called the State Church because more presi- |
dents have worshiped there than at any otner,
stands az the corner of II and sixteenth streets.